Friday, February 27, 2015

Pre-Season Training

The best athletes are made in the off-season.When the season rolls around and you are
about to start your first game or event, it is too late to prepare.That is why it is essential to take advantage
of every opportunity you are given in off-season training and workouts.Progress should be constantly strived for to
reach your goals.Each day you are
either getting closer to reaching your goals or farther away, you have the
power to make off-season success happen.Here
are a couple of things that coaches, players, and parents should keep in mind
with -training:

Training does not
mean over-training

Although it is important to strive for improvement every day
throughout the off-season, this should not be confused with training every day
which will likely lead to over-training.Recovery
is just as important, if not more important, than the time spent training.Over-training can lead to increased fatigue,
decreased performance, increased risk of injury, as well as several other
physical and psychological side effects.On the other extreme, that does not mean sitting on the couch all day
with an XBOX controller on off days.Active rest and mobility work will be the best way to prioritize time
outside of training to set the body up for success the next time training.

Leave your ego at the
door

Proper technique is the most important component for
improvements in performance and reduced risk of injury.Regardless of what off-season training program
being used, performance will be greatly hindered if ideal technique is not
prioritized. However, this is often a sacrifice in the amount of output produced
in the short-term and requires some patience as new movement patterns are
learned. In the long-term, this is a
critical component that needs to be mastered in the controlled environment of
the weight room before it is translated into competition.

Don’t get fancy

Master the basics.It
is critical to be very proficient at basic movement patterns and have the
required strength through the muscles required to stabilize before progressing
too quickly through a program.If the
program requires progression in intensity or difficulty of movement before an
athlete is ready, the athlete will be limited in reaching their optimal
performance as well as being put at an increased risk of injury.Programming throughout the off-season is key
and is the coach’s responsibility to put their players in a position to succeed
while keeping their players healthy and on the field.

It should be FUN!

Training should never be boring, and while there are certain
necessary components to an off-season training program, athletes should
constantly be challenged in order to grow physically and mentally. Training
isn’t always synonymous with fun, yet still something that should be enjoyed as
it is a great way for teammates to bond and grow more disciplined as a
team.Provide an environment for your team
training that players enjoy showing up for!

There’s only one important measure when it comes to
pre-season training, and that’s the results you see when the season is
finished.Are you doing everything you
can now to succeed later?

These are just a few
tips on considerations for off-season training.Please contact uswith any further questions on pre-season training or
regarding our packages for team training led by physical therapists.

Thursday, February 12, 2015

With all the
heart shaped goodies and signs around on Valentine’s Day, we are served an
important reminder to take an active role in keeping our hearts healthy.There is little argument on the importance of
a healthy heart, however developing strategies to meet this goal can be more
difficult.Proper nutrition and activity
levels are both key components in keeping your heart working its best.Nutritional recommendations are very
individualized and vary based on age, weight, current eating habits, and other
medical conditions.If you have specific
questions regarding nutritional recommendations do not hesitate to contact our dietician to discuss an individualized plan of action.When planning to achieve proper activity
levels, it is important to remember that keeping your heart healthy does not
require hours at a gym and can be achieved through simple lifestyle changes.Although Midwest weather makes it more
difficult to be active outside during these winter months, there are plenty of
ways to stay active without having to battle the outdoor elements.The majority of us have the destructive habit
of sitting way too much.One of the best
ways to avoid this and maintain a healthy heart, without even having to touch a
machine, is by walking more.There are
plenty of devices out there for counting steps taken throughout the day to monitor
how many you are taking which can be a great way to track progress.If you choose this option, there is no magic
number of steps to aim for.Pick a goal
number, and once you are able to achieve that every day for a week or two try
increasing the goal.Although it’s easy
to take a walk outside or at the park in the summer months, going to a local
mall or store and taking laps around are other options to increase steps while
staying warm if you do not belong to a gym.Other ways to increase activity can be performed in the comfort of your
own home.Make it a habit whenever
you’re watching TV to stand-up at each commercial and take a lap around the
house, go up and down the stairs once or twice, or perform 5-10 squats.This option is only limited by your own
creativity so find something that fits you!

There are also
plenty of other alternatives to conventional exercise that do not involve
staring at the calorie counter on cardio machines and wondering why the time
seems to be standing still.People that
prefer exercise classes and a group atmosphere would benefit from a course such
as Yoga or Pilates.The benefits of
these can address heart health, but also go above and beyond by addressing
strength, mobility, balance, and body awareness as well.If aches and pains are preventing you from
exercising, please stop in for a complimentary injury screening to address any
physical limitations that are preventing you from reaching your target activity
levels.Whatever way you decide to be
more active, make sure you have a plan to achieve your goals and get started
right now!

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About TheraCORE

TheraCORE Physical Therapy was established in 2008, by two Doctors of Physical Therapy, with one significant goal in mind: To have experienced therapists deliver personalized care to their patients. This means you will be cared for, at every visit, by a licensed professional who has a working relationship with your physician.